Sunday, September 02, 2012

For some, deadline day is a time to rush and get all signings finished. A club who demonstrated this last season was Arsenal. On deadline day last year we signed Park, Yossi Benayoun and of course Arteta. Arteta proved to be one of, if not the best, midfielders for us last season. With Wilshere injured, Arteta had to step up to the plate. To be honest, he did. He was extremely good and although he’s not as young as Wilshere, he could give Wilshere cause to worry about his position in the team.

This year’s deadline day has been less eventful for Arsenal. Only Essien had been looked at as a possible replacement for Song in that central defensive midfield position but, like Song, he decided to go to Spain and he joined Real Madrid on a season long loan deal. Following the loss of Song, Arsene said that he would sign a new defensive midfielder. He did not deliver on that.

Arsenal had been eventful early on in the window by signing Podolski and Giroud. Santi Cazorla was signed a little later. Santi is seen as possibly our best signing. He looks like the new Fabregas. He is the playmaker that makes the team tick, which I think we were missing last season after the loss of Nasri and Fabregas. We needed someone who can play just behind the strikers, who can pick out a pass with superb vision. Santi has that quality.

A twitter rumour that was flying across the Arsenal fan base was the possible return of Cesc Fabregas. For me, that was never going to happen. Personally I think that we should have tried to sign Yossi Benayoun on a permanent deal. Although he is getting on a bit, he was very lively last season and he worked hard every game he played. In the end Yossi joined West Ham on loan. Llorente was also an option for the striker’s position. There were doubts over Podolski and Giroud and whether they could prove to be good enough. Llorente was also getting linked with clubs such as Spurs and Liverpool.

Clint Dempsey, the want away attacking midfielder from Fulham was also one of our targets. Dempsey, who wanted to make a transfer to Liverpool, found himself at the Lane after Liverpool refused to pay the £7 million asking price that Villa had agreed for him. This is remarkable as they let Carroll go on loan to West Ham the day before. This may be wishful thinking from the Liverpool fans but there is a belief that Drogba may end up at Anfield.

Of course, the biggest players to leave The Emirates were RVP and Song. At least we kept hold of Walcott, even if only for another six or twelve months, after which he's suspected to be moving to Anfield. Let’s hope that he decides to sign a new contract soon. Park, after just coming to Arsenal last season has gone out on loan to Celta Vigo. Now Bendtner, the good news about someone leaving the Emirates. Bendtner has joined Juventus on loan. Hopefully he will do well so that he can leave us for good.

Obviously the lack of movement from Arsene and Gazidis was very disappointing. Wenger said that we would sign a top top top player and we got that well known player Diddly Squat!